Various devices are today used to improve the indoor environment in for example offices, public buildings, schools, hospitals and exhibition areas or similar. The indoor environment may affect peoples' health, their quality of life, comfort, ability to learn and productivity. This is specifically a fact in colder climates where people tend to spend more time indoors. Factors that may affect the indoor environment are air quality, thermal comfort, acoustic properties and the visual quality.
Poor acoustic properties in an indoor environment may specifically affect people's cognitive and communicative abilities. Consequences of poor acoustic environments may be attention problems, concentration problems, reduced ability to learn, lower quality of performed work and lower productivity. At higher sound levels there might also be a risk of temporary or permanent hearing impairment, tinnitus, health problems and stress.
The indoor air quality may also affect people's health. Air pollutants, particles, allergens, humidity, mould, bacteria and virus are examples of elements that may be a health hazard. Poor air quality may cause asthma, allergies, symptoms in the eyes, the nose and on the skin, fatigue and headache. Such symptoms will, naturally, also have an impact on cognitive and communicative abilities.
Various devices are often used to each solve a separate problem relating to the indoor environment. In order to improve the acoustic properties in a room acoustic screens, panels and sound dampening partition walls may be used. Ventilation and air conditioning units may be used to improve the thermal comfort and air purifiers may be used to improve the air quality. While these devices solve one problem, they may cause another problem. For example, a separate air purifier might be visually disturbing and cause unpleasant air flows, draught, high noise levels and might even be standing in the way. Some sound absorbing solutions may also cause problems, such as hindering ventilation and collecting of dust, particles and microorganisms. Also, in order to improve the air quality in a whole room, an air purifier needs to purify a large air volume and thus is needed a powerful fan.
There are some examples of solutions which try to combine several functions in order to improve the indoor environment. Document EP0380660 describes a radiation air-conditioner in the form of a partition wall, which can be freely moved in order to handle the problem with unevenly distributed heat loads in a closed office. The air-conditioner comprises a panel with a plurality of thermoelectric elements and heat exchanger means and fan means installed inside the panel. This is however a complex and costly solution which complicates maintenance and service of the air-conditioner.
Document SE533460 discloses an arrangement for purifying large air volumes where fans and air filters are combined with sound absorbers for dampening noise from the fans. The arrangement is large and bulky.
Despite known solutions in the area there is a need to further develop a simple, cost-effective solution for improving the indoor environment.